And the Oscar for best vintage goes to…

Well it has got to go to Pierre Balmain! Penelope Cruz stole the show on the red carpet in her vintage white Balmain gown. Who else was a red carpet queen? Maria Kaski reports.

The 79th Academy Awards have gone all green on us this year with the collaboration between the show’s producers and the National Resources Defence Council, and it seems that the ethical bug may have may have caught on as starts turned to vintage looks to inspire their outfits.

Penelope Cruz took to the red carpet in a white 1950s vintage Pierre Balmain gown. Her simple up do allowed the dress to take centre stage and the Spanish star, who took home an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Vicky Christina Barcelona, looked divine. Her gown was a sharp contrast to the satin and metallic shades seen elsewhere among the Hollywood elite. Top marks for Penelope!

Another star to have taken inspiration from vintage fashion was Melissa Leo who paid homage to the early 1940s with her daring satin copper gold gown by Badgley Miska. The colour was a perfect match for her striking hair colour and gave vibrancy to her face. The flattering shape did wonders to accentuate the actresses’ enviable figure

As predicted 2009’s Oscars were a glamorous affair and definite return to old school Hollywood. Fishtail, flared and column dresses were the styles du jour, while colours were either off white or smouldering and dark. Kate Winslet picked up her best actress Oscar in an off-shoulder grey and black YSL dress, while Anne Hathaway looked ravishing in a white Armani fishtail gown.